Link Me Up, Scotty - All Aretha Edition

Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Today's Link Me Up is dedicated entirely to Aretha Franklin's rendition of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, which she performed at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors last night to honor Carole King, who co-wrote the song.

Go full screen, crank it up, and enjoy. Awesome. 

Link Me Up, Scotty - Peace on Earth Edition

Friday, December 25, 2015
Kenyan Muslims protect Christians during a terrorist attack. Because when they're willing to kill your brother, it's only a matter of time until they come for you.

H/T Brother Seth
________

28 pictures that prove that 2015 wasn't a completely terrible year. 22 is my favorite, as the young man was having trouble with his tie until the woman directed her husband to help him. For some reason, this warms the cockles of my black, black heart.
________

A woman with three children had her husband, a tattoo artist, depict their kids in her tattoos over ten years ago. All of them have needed touching up over the years, but when their daughter made the decision to transition to his male self, Dad took up the needle once again. I love this so much.
________

Random shopper mistaken for Santa, jumps in with both feet. Because he's AWESOME.
________

Christmas photos to warm the cockles of your black, black heart.
________

If you're financially literate, then do your friends and family a favor and share your knowledge
________

Video of my Heart: The Christmas Story as told by children. My favorite part: "We have nothing to WEAR."


Link Me Up, Scotty - Humanity Edition

Saturday, December 19, 2015
Photos of the human race.
________

Zen Pencils with a quote from RFK on the Mindless Menace of Violence.
________

What is means to be young, talented, and black. A pictorial essay of Hillside High School’s award-winning marching band. 
________
A conversation between a father and son on what it means to look at a woman, and the responsibilities of being a man. The money quote:
There are two views regarding a woman’s dress code that you will be pressured to buy into. One view will say that women need to dress to get the attention of men. The other view will say women need to dress to protect men from themselves. Son, you are better than both of these. A woman, or any human being, should not have to dress to get your attention. You should give them the full attention they deserve simply because they are a fellow human being. On the other side, a woman should not have to feel like she needs to protect you from you. You need to be in control of you.
 H/T Brother Steve 
________
Shipmate and friend Jim Wright describes the job interview process he wishes were in place for Presidential candidates and why the GOP debates are basically semantically null shitstorms. ________

Video of my Heart: The U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard and Drill Team perform in Oslo, Norway in 2009, taking first place in the Tattoo competition. Those are my Shippies, right there.

H/T Dottie


Sea Change

Thursday, December 17, 2015

 

On December 3rd, the Secretary of Defense announced that the Armed Forces would begin offering all jobs, including ground combat positions, to qualified women. This announcement includes the various Special Forces units, such as the Navy SEALS, Army Special Forces, etc.:
“There will be no exceptions,” Carter said. “This means that, as long as they qualify and meet the standards, women will now be able to contribute to our mission in ways they could not before.”
Naturally, this announcement stirred up a shitstorm. Will the standards be lowered to accommodate women? Will women's inclusion in combat units negatively affect unit cohesion? Will women now be subject to Selective Service? Will PMS play a role in women's effectiveness in combat?*

These are all concerns that need to be addressed. Well, except for that last one. Several people have asked me my thoughts, so here they are. Please note I have a tendency to use Navy-centric terminology because of my background, but I'm quite sure the same points apply to the other branches, as well.

Will the Special Forces lower their standards to accomodate women? 

I sure as hell hope not. The standards are there for a reason, and people's lives depend on their shipmates being able to meet them. Will maintaining them mean that fewer women will be able to qualify for these jobs? Damn straight. The same way they weed out men who are not fit enough, strong enough, or agile enough to meet them. Men have been washing out of BUD/S for decades, and no one ever suggested the Navy lower their standards so more of these poor, delicate snowflakes could be included in the program. What's the difference? A woman (like a man) who applies to be a SEAL isn't really interested in being protected. 

Will women's inclusion in combat units negatively affect unit cohesion?

Meh. I’m not going to be baited on this one. This is the same nonsense we went through when women were first assigned overseas, assigned to support ships, allowed to serve at all. Integration won’t be easy, but the cultural shift will occur, just as it's done for every other sea change in the military. As my friend Sarah brought up, we have always fought, and attempts to rewrite history to downplay women's roles doesn't change that. 

Will women now be subject to the draft in the same way men are?

I think the better question here is why the hell aren't they now? Here's the thing about wanting "equal opportunity." To achieve true equality, to be considered truly equal in the eyes of your peers, you MUST accept equal responsibility and equal risk. During my early years in the Navy, I was not afforded the same responsibility as my male peers. I couldn't serve on combat vessels, and in fact many women completed their entire careers without serving on Auxiliary ships, either. I was not subject to the selective service. And yet, I received the same pay and benefits as my male peers with similar rank and years of service. No wonder women weren't treated as equals - in the eyes of many men, we had all the perqs and none of the risk. The fact that these circumstances weren't my fault or my choice didn't make my male shipmates feel any differently about it.

By forcing women to participate in Selective Service in the same way men are, we are acknowledging that we are equal partners in citizenship with our male fellows. We accept the same privileges, as well as the same responsibilities and risks, as everyone else who's allowed to vote in this country. On a moral level, this is only right and fair.

Will PMS play a role in women's effectiveness in combat?

Really? THAT'S the question you think deserves the most consideration in this integration effort? Get the fuck out of here - adults are talking.
_____

I have no doubt that after the current generation of service members retire, the integration of women into these roles will be complete and with the exception of a few neanderthal hold-outs, people in uniform will wonder what all the fuss was about. In the meantime, professional Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Guardsmen will continue to do what needs to be done, and let the pearl-clutchers and hand-wringers burn themselves out. They always do.


*I wish to fuck I was making that last one up.

Link Me Up, Scotty - Racists and Joy Edition

Tuesday, December 15, 2015
The end of the year is approaching, so it's time for the annual "best of" lists. First up: The best Boston Globe photographs of 2015.
________

Also from the Boston Globe, a pictorial essay of a family's struggle with homelessness and abuse. This broke my heart, especially since I know there are many, many more families who struggle in this way.
________

Bowe Bergdahl is facing Court Martial on the charges of desertion and endangering troops. I recall there was a lot of controversy about the government's decision to retrieve SGT Bergdahl from the Taliban, but I have to say that this turn of events is exactly correct. We don't leave our own - no matter what they've done - to the enemy. We take care of our own, in every sense of that statement. Honor demands no less.
________

The newest, most marvelous Facebook page: Spellcheck a Racist. You're welcome.

H/T Not-My-Terry
________

Man reunites with a woman who saved him from the Holocaust 70 years ago. THERE'S SOMETHING IN MY EYE.

H/T Brother Vince
________

Yet another incident of Trump supporters attacking an African American at one of his rallies. These fucking people. Really? Nazi rhetoric? THAT'S the way you want to go?

H/T Brother Paul
________

Video of my Heart: Pentatonix performs The First Noel. Still fan-girling on their bass (Avi Kaplan) who is featured in this song, but I'm starting to think their countertenor, Mitch, needs to eat a sammich.


Link Me Up, Scotty - Being Human Edition

Monday, December 14, 2015
New information on how teens grow into adulthood, and how identity and emotion will guide them to the people they will become.
________

How do you get boys to go to a class on treating girls with respect? Make attendance a point of pride and prestige in the community.
________

Since that ignoramus Donald Trump couldn't name any Muslim athletes, here's a list of 38 graciously provided via that technological marvel otherwise known as "Google."
________

Exercise really is the most amazing thing. Sedentary people often don't understand its significance, and don't get what a difference it can make in your life.
________

I've been appalled to discover how much rent costs here in the Denver metro area. Here's a comparison of what $1,000 a month will get you in various parts of the country.
________

Professional photographer Dave Sandford captures Lake Erie in all its power and fury. Amazing.

H/T Brother Seth
________

White Supremacists love the Donald Trump campaign. And in other news, water is wet. I would warn those who think Trump is anything other than an ignorant bigot: You're going to be judged by the company you keep.
________

Navy Dad photobombs his kids' Christmas photo after a year long deployment.
________

A Muslim judge chooses to use the Q'uran when taking her oath of office, and so conservative whackadoos predictably lose their collective shit. Clearly these people have a failure to understand what an oath is, or why someone who is not a Christian should not swear one on a Bible.
________

Video of my heart: Disturbed's cover of Simon and Garfunkel's Sound of Silence. I love this song, and I have to admit this is probably my new favorite version.


Link Me Up, Scotty - Short Form Edition

Saturday, December 12, 2015
An essay on the dangers of not taking the campaign if Donald Trump seriously enough. I agree with what Steve says in principle, and I can tell you that if Donald Trump wins the Republican nomination for President, I will be more politically active than I've been in any other election. I never thought I'd be a "door-knocker" for politics, but the idea of President Trump scares me sufficiently that I'll change my mind.
________

Brother Eric on those asinine douchenozzles in Texas who intend to do some sort of performance art get together to prove that a "good guy with a gun" is the right resolution to a nutjob with a gun. The obtuseness of these yokels is exceeded only by their poor taste. As Eric notes, fuck 'em.
________

Young Saudi women use video games to expand their horizons and social circles. Fascinating.

H/T Brother Steve
________

Companies with women on their boards do better. Shocked, shocked I am that diverse teams are higher performing than homogeneous ones.
________

A photo essay of some of the members of the Somali diaspora, currently residing in Minnesota. I find it endlessly fascinating how more traditional cultures manage to preserve their heritage and still embrace modern life.
________

Arizona Republican Senator Jeff Flake attended services with his family at a local Mosque. His comments were ones of solidarity and support. Bravo, Senator.
________

Los Angeles company Meathead Movers offers free moving services to the victims of domestic violence. I love this so much. You never know when a simple act of corporate charity will change someone else's life in a profound way.

Random Acts of Remembrance

Wednesday, December 9, 2015
In the summer of 2014, I sponsored a Kickstarter project organized by some friends of Moe's. They're a group of artists who call themselves the the Atomic Pixies, and they wanted to create a unique Tarot Card deck with original artwork.

I sponsored them because they were some of Moe's closest friends, and also because one of my "perqs" for the level at which I sponsored them was a custom piece of artwork in the same style as the deck with a subject of my choosing.

Well, my deck and the accompanying reference book arrived in yesterday's mail. The art is indeed interesting and beautiful, and if you're interested in such things, I recommend you run right over to their website and order a set for yourself or someone you love:




And here's the dedication:




Thank you, Girls. I'm sure she would have loved it, and I can't wait to see the custom piece when it's done. 

Link Me Up, Scotty - Weapons and Destruction Edition

Tuesday, December 8, 2015
The Muslim community here in the U.S. feels compelled to condemn bad behavior by members of its community as soon as possible. Why they choose to do this should be painfully, embarrassingly, obvious.
________

Analysis on why your guns are not going to allow you to resist the government and other logical fallacies. There are a number of logically sound and defensible arguments in opposition of gun control, but this is not one of them. Using it as such makes you sound like an ignorant yokel.
________

Speaking of Muslims and the San Bernardino shooting, they're raising money for the victim's families, as well.
________

When even Exxon/Mobil is issuing dire warnings about climate change, you know we're well and truly fucked.
________

Talking productively about guns and gun control isn't easy, and most partisans are hacks with nothing to say. I'm glad I'm not the only one who's sick to death of it.
________

The Department of Justice has opened a wide ranging investigation into the Chicago Police Department as a result of a pattern of misconduct, racial profiling, and the use of deadly force. This is going to suck for the CPD, in the same way the Tailhook investigation sucked for those of us on active duty during that embarrassing time. But you know what? The Navy was a very different place post-Tailhook, a much better place, and I hope that the CPD will find itself in similar circumstances after the DOJ is done and reforms are put in place.
________

New Popehat contributor Marc Randazza takes on the idea of 'safe spaces' and how academia doesn't provide them for conservatives, only for liberals. Speaking as a dirty, dirty liberal, I totally agree with Mr. Randazza on this point. I think "safe spaces" should be reserved for support groups, not politics, and it's ridiculous for there to be systemic stifling of free speech in an academic environment, regardless of which end of the spectrum is speaking. If you have an opinion and you choose to express it, you should NOT be prevented from doing so. The other side of that coin, of course, is that you should NOT be protected from the social consequences of your choice. No one should pull punches in refuting your idea, and if your idea is stupid/racist/illogical/unserious, then you shouldn't be surprised when people say so. And none of this speech should be censored, and no one should be shielded from it, especially in college. Grow an intellectual pair, why don't you, and gird your loins for battle in the marketplace of ideas. Complaints that someone's idea hurt your fee-fees do not go very far in discrediting those ideas or convincing others to your point of view.
________

Neil Peart, one of the best drummers in several generations, has formally announced his retirement. Neil's not a young man anymore, and his music is very physically demanding, so I get why he's making this choice. He wants to spend time with his family, and the same is true of his band-mates. It's just the end of an era for me, as Rush's Moving Pictures tour was the first rock concert I ever went to. The Smart Man and I have also tried to attend their shows whenever they were in town, including their 40th Anniversary Tour just a few months ago. They're getting old, and by extension, I guess that means I am, too.

Link Me Up, Scotty - Science, Solace and Service Edition

Sunday, December 6, 2015
Scientists and ethicists are debating the limits of genetic manipulation. The age old problem of "just because you can do something doesn't mean you should." It's my belief that we can find a middle ground that will allow us to rid ourselves of debilitating genetic conditions without sacrificing diversity and delight in our differences. 
________

An interesting take on why the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is choosing to use a for-profit company structure for their charitable giving rather than a non-profit.
________

There comes a time in all our lives where we must make a choice to be brave, or to give in to fear. Here's a wonderful example of a man who made the tough choice, and changed lives in the process.
________

Can a plan of atonement help the United States face our history of slavery the same way it helped Germany face the Holocaust? I tend to believe "yes," because telling the truth about what's happened in our past is the first step toward crafting a better future based on authenticity.

H/T Brother Eric
________

From the "furiously happy" files: Coats tied to lampposts for the homeless to take and use now that winter is truly upon us.

H/T Brother Vince
________

I love this so much I wish I'd written it myownself. The author expresses exactly how I feel about the place Moe holds in my heart, and in my life. I will NEVER stop talking about my Moe-Moe, as long as I live.

H/T Sister Aileen

Identifying the key word

Saturday, December 5, 2015
It's been a tough week here in the United States. In addition to all the typical election buffoonery, we've had two shooting sprees, one at a Planned Parenthood Clinic here in Colorado, and another at a Human Services organization in San Bernardino, California. The death toll stands at seventeen, three in Colorado Springs and fourteen in San Bernardino.

I think it's fair to say that all the shooters can be characterized, by definition, as "bat crap crazy." No one of sound intellectual and emotional mind goes around spraying bullets like a fire-hose, killing people indiscriminately. Nutbars, the lot of them.

But as usual, partisan politics rules the day, as people make excuses, speculate wildly, and generally crap their pants in an orgy of political sound bites and rhetoric.

Robert Lewis Dear, the Colorado Springs nutbar, was an evangelical Christian. He expressed admiration for the Army of God, an anti-abortion Christian terrorist organization, and while no evidence has been discovered to tie him directly to the organization, I think it's safe to say he is a Christian Terrorist. 

Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, the San Bernardino nutbars, were Muslim. The FBI has discovered correspondence that at the very least, they had sympathetic attitudes toward ISIS, although no evidence has been discovered to tie them directly to the organization. I think it's safe to say they were Muslim Terrorists. 

This is what we know about the nutbars, aside from the fact that their families are all horrified beyond belief at what has transpired.


And what we know about the partisans is that both sides of the aisle have abandoned rational thought, claiming that these two events prove their points, prove that it's the Muslims/Christians/immigrants/white gun lovers who are the real threat, and IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT.

And both sides are missing the goddamn point.

The key word in all this is not "Muslim" or "Christian." It's terrorist. From the Mirriam-Webster definition of terrorism:
 : the use of violent acts to frighten the people in an area as a way of trying to achieve a political goal
Whether the political goal is the spread of the Caliphate or having Planned Parenthood close its doors, the methodology is the same. To frighten people as a way of trying to achieve a political goal, apparently with a body count as an added nutbar bonus.

The key word is terrorist. And while we're all pointing the fingers at each other, trying to lay the blame at the door of the President, of the NRA, of the Christians, of the Muslims, of the liberals, of the conservatives, nothing is being done to address the issue in any kind of a meaningful way. We're like recalcitrant children, pointing the finger, name-calling, and generally running around naked with our hair on fire. What we're not doing is coming up with a plan to address the very real danger of the extremists among us, those who would rather watch the world burn than not get their way.

I'm sick of it. At this point, I'm beyond the partisan rhetoric, and have no desire to argue with those who can't understand that this is a complex issue, with myriad facets. The two extreme positions, arming every goddamn person in the country or confiscating all the weapons in the country are non-starters. Thinking people know this. Thinking people understand that in spite of the rhetoric, only a small minority would suggest such a plan in any event. Thinking people understand that compromise, pragmatism, and above all, effectiveness should be the guiding principles here.

And if you're not a thinking person, then I wish you'd just shut the fuck up. You're not helping. And as Mr. Rogers taught us, we need to look for the helpers in these troubled times. If you're not going to help, then get the Hell out of the way.

Link Me Up, Scotty - People Rock, People Suck Edition

Friday, December 4, 2015
Smart Man and fellow UCFer David on the suddenness of change in society, and how, for all our technological might, you can't really fight the climate. This is so good I wish I'd written it, and I'm delighted to know someone who did.
_________

Perelli announced their new 2016 calendar, and took the media by storm by featuring women of accomplishment and substance instead of their traditional big-boobed, skinny models. Advertising genius? You bet. Effective technique to show a little respect in spite of the gimmick? Indeed.

H/T The Incomparable Anne™
_________

Elizabeth Taylor ran an underground drug ring to provide experimental pharmaceuticals to AIDS patients. Her reputation as a hottie and sometime crazy woman should not overshadow her legacy of advocacy on behalf of AIDS patients. Go, Liz.

H/T Debbie the Librarian
_________

A U.S. Marine is found guilty in a Philippines court of killing a transgender woman, thus embarrassing the U.S. Armed Forces in the second-worst way possible. There's a lot to admire about the Devil Dogs, but their forward thinking, la-dee-da attitude about non-cis sexual identity isn't one of them. In fact, the organization as a whole is homophobic mess.

H/T Brother Seth
_________

Immigration revitalizes stagnant economies and cities. The fact that they're refugees is just a big ole "let's do the right thing" bonus.
_________

An essay on mass shootings and what we can - and can't - do about them. This is from 2014, but it still has relevance.
_________

Video of my Heart: Dave Grohl and THE MUPPETS.


It's the end of the world as we know it

Thursday, December 3, 2015
Another day, another mass shooting. This time it's a human services organization, a group that provided services to the disabled. Because nothing says "ammosexual nutjob" like shooting up an organization dedicated to helping the least among us, I guess.

But that's not why I think it's the end of the world. This is the 351st mass shooting this year, putting the U.S. on par for having more than one each day. It's part of our life now, part of our culture, and I think we can all agree that there will be no legislation or fundamental change that will prevent this type of thing from happening again tomorrow. We just don't have the political will to fix what's broken, and in fact, we can't even agree on what that is, which makes taking action more than a little difficult.

No, what's driven me to my keyboard was a brief exchange I had on Facebook with the friend of a friend on the shooting in San Bernardino. This individual truly believes that people who choose not to purchase guns are "neutering" themselves and have only themselves to blame if some nutjob chooses to kill them with a firearm. No, I'm not making that up. No, I won't mention who it is or identify the mutual friend. Yes, I have blocked this person, because...damn.

To me, this idea that the victims of violence are to blame because they choose not to go armed in what is purportedly a civilized society is more indicative of lawlessness and a slow slide into barbarism than the nutbars who are spraying bullets like a fire-hose. One of the definitions of a civilized society is that violence becomes the privilege of the state, not armed vigilantes roaming the streets with some sort of cockamamie "good guy with a gun" complex. The thought that each of us is responsible for our own personal safety, with no recourse or protection from the state...this idea frightens me deeply. It's a precursor to the world of Mad Max, and has implications far beyond the fact that the United States can't/won't address the problem of mass violence in our society. Where's the line in the sand? At what point does unacceptable behavior legitimize taking personal action versus allowing the authorities to handle it? Do I get to run my neighbor down because they don't shovel their sidewalk and they drive poorly? Do we now start to turn our house into fortress because we can't trust law enforcement to maintain the rule of law?

I've always despised victim-blaming, but this...this is something different, and something far more sinister.

Angels and ministers of grace, defend us.